You Probably Shouldn't...

I have five kids. 5. I have no idea where they all came from. I think some of them crawled from the subterranean cavern adjoining the basement while I made gruel.

Anyway. I like to go places, particularly somber adult places like museums and concerts. In a few years it will be lovely to have children old enough to herd and corral those younger lego eating creatures, but for now, they are my entourage. All of them. All five, 5 of them.

Chicago Skyline behind my intrepid climbers.

Places you may wish to go, like a big city, Chicago maybe, you might not wish to visit in January right after one of the biggest storm's they've seen. If you do anyway, you might not want to take your squad as well. If you do go, and take your crew, you might not want to inflict the local high-brow Institute of Art with them, causing alarms to go off (the real kind) and guards to inform you that your children are a fire hazard.

Me? I knew I probably shouldn't, but I did anyway.

There was some snow.

And it was FANTASTIC!

Ten Pounds of Contentment

My little Goblin, one week old

Chasing happiness. I can feel it, especially in the winter, the uneasiness increasing until I stir, anxious, searching for that thing that's fled, the happiness, the sensation of sitting in the sunshine listening to Nat King Cole, the settled serenity that flees if you look at it too hard.

The days grow short, the sun shines blearily for a moment before disappearing back into its cave. Days are blinks, nights, eternal. The searching becomes a pawing, clawing, scratching thing at the bottom of my mind.

Distractions. Sewing. Dancing. Getting OUT! But, when you split open to create another person, the pieces of you lie there for months, weak, feeble, incapable of motion.

This year, somehow, the motionless insanity became warm contentment as small limbs curved over my rib, head nestled against my shoulder, pounds growing heavier, sinking deeper into me until there was no space between my heart and the warm, soft-boned contentment. I hold it in my arms.

SWAP 2014

Every year The Sticher's Guild has a wonderful sewing competition, Sewing With A Plan, otherwise called Swap. (my husband hates this because he keeps wondering what we're swapping)

This year the plan is 3 3 paks, and 2 wild cards, resulting in 11 fantastical garments to build your wardrobe.

I'm sticking with rust and teal, my hair and eye colors for two columns and one set of prints. Should be fun.

So far I have the teal ski pants in merino fleece finished. I've been wearing them every day because Brr! It's been cold! Stay warm people, and happy sewing! I had to piece together the merino rust fabric because I didn't get enough. Oh well. It's very artistic.

Happy 2014!

Happy New Year!!!!! 

May every day be a tea party. With hats.